Kozhikode or Calicut as it is popularly known, is a land of pristine beaches, aromatic spice gardens, picturesque country sides & warm people. It was way back in 1948 that the coastal town of Kozhikode rose to fame when Vasco Da Gama first set foot on its shores. Its magnanimous hills, gurgling streams, historic sites, wildlife sanctuaries, quaint villages & busy bazaars lure tourists year after year.

The name Calicut, has its origins from the hand woven cloth called Calico. The city was the capital, during the reign of the Zamorin dynasty. A sea town with a busy port & thriving trading centre some of the best places to get a glimpse into its history & natural beauty are the Kappad Beach & Beypore Fort. A visit to the Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary is a treat for bird watchers with over a 100 species of birds. For nature lovers the Thusharagiri waterfall, 50 km from Kozhikode is an ideal place to for a picnic. Adventure buffs can also trek this region amid spice plantations & dense evergreen forests.

With a town having so much to offer from wildlife to wellness spa’s, beaches to bazaars & historic sites to hills; Kozhikode is a must see on your Kerala itinerary!

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History

Kozhikode, earlier known as Calicut, is known to have been discovered on the Arabian Coast in the year 1034 A.D. The city was first established by the Eradis of Nediyirippu after a long battle with the Porlathiris of Polanad. During the kingship of Saamoothiri, aka Zamorin, the city was developed as a major center of trade.

Kozhikode find its mention in the books of various travelers who visited the southern part of the country. Ibn Batuta, a great scholar and writer from Morocco called this city as ‘one of the great ports of the district of Malabar’. Ma Hung, the Chinese Muslim Sailor also notes Kozhikode to be a great emporium of trade and knowledge. Italian traveller, Niccolo De Conti and Russian Traveller, Afanasy Nikitin also have described the city to be of huge importance in the trading world.

The Dutch conquered the city in November 1604, under the leadership of Steven Van Den Hager. The Dutch are known to have ruled the city till 1795. They lost hold of the city after a ferocious attack by the British.

After Independence, in the year 1956, Kozhikode was declared to be a part of Malabar District.

Travel within city

Kozhikode is a city in the State of Kerala and has a well developed inter- city transport system. The city is also well connected with the rest of the state through its rail and road systems. The main bus operators in the city are private operators. Some of the Kerala State buses also pass through the city and can be used to travel around the city. The city buses are painted green and they operate along the main municipal corporation lines. The major routes in the city are Kakkodi, Feroke, Elathur, Medical College and Beypore. There are three bus stands in the city and the local buses start from the Palayam Bus Stand.

Taxi

Kozhikode has an international airport which is situated around 22 km from the city. There are taxi services that are available from the airport to the city and they charge around Rs 400 for the trip. Some taxis may run on meter; however most of them have fixed rates to different parts of the city.

Auto Rickshaw

For those arriving by train, there are auto rickshaws and taxis available from the railway station. They ply to most parts of the city and are comfortable.

Food

There are many restaurants and food joints in Kozhikode, suiting people of all tastes and budget. Restaurants are open from 9 in the morning till 10 in the night. For the best vegetarian food in Kozhikode, tourists can go to Dakhshin The Veg (09847323647) on NH 17 serving mouth watering menu.

For specialty sea food and Kerala cuisine, tourists can head to Dawn restaurant on GH Road. Multi-cuisine delights can be enjoyed at Paragon Restaurant (0495 2767020) in Kannur Road and Hotel Sagar (0495-720152) on Mavoor Road. These restaurants offer various Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisine; specially popular for their sea food. For tasty, quick and cheap meals, tourists can go to Indian Coffee House (0495 2302819) on Mavoor Road and Hotel New Kerala on SM Road.

Shopping

Kozhikode is a beautiful coastal town that offers various things that tourists can take back with them. Most of the shops are located on SM Road and BB road and remain open from 10 in the morning till 9 in the night. Tourists should go to SM Road to take back some tasty banana chips. This is also the apt market place to look out for buffalo horn carvings, coir products and miniature snake boats for souvenirs. Kozhikode is famous for its ‘Calico’ - a soft printed cotton variety, that is available only on SM road.

For fashionable clothes and local rosewood handicrafts, tourists can go to BB Road. Malabar Palace Hotel on SM Street.

Moderately Hot

Temperature varies from 22 to 37°C in April.

Bright sunny days, warm climate with high level of humidity. Sometime pre - monsoon shower may hit the city during this month and makes the climate somehow comfortable. Beach walk can be enjoyed in the evenings, while this month is also good for watching birds in the bird sanctuary.

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Posted
by
anu1 year, 3 months ago

pls correct the Vasco da Gama arrival date to 1498 instead of 1948

Posted
by
CKumar1 year, 3 months ago

best place to live in in the whole earth.....

Posted
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meera5 year, 6 months ago

For the Malabar Paratha and authentic seafood at reasonable prices ask for Paragon Restuarant which is below the CH Fly over on road Kozhikode Kannur at the heart of the city. Very near the Manancira Sqaure which is the heart of the city. An experience by itself. I would recommend the tamrind Fish whith paratha and downed with a multilayer special Tea.